Description of the attraction
Guardia Sanframondi is a medieval town in the province of Benevento in the Italian region of Campania, known as the "pearl of the south" because of its well-preserved historic center dating back to the 15th century. You can get to this part of the city, over which an ancient castle rises, only on foot, going up the steep streets. Today, the historic center of Guardia is half abandoned as locals prefer to settle in new houses that circle the old Guardia. Interestingly, some of the old houses were bought by wealthy Neapolitans, who turned them into their residences.
The origin of Guardia Sanframondi is not exactly established - scientists put forward versions that the city was founded by the Samnites, or Normans, or Lombards. There are also fragments of an ancient settlement that existed in the Paleolithic era. The name of the city comes from the Norman Sanframondo family, who ruled here for almost four hundred years. In 1461, Guardia became the property of the Carafa family, who held the city until the 19th century.
The medieval center of Guardia Sanframondi grew up around a castle in the highest part of the city. Numerous winding streets and white stone steps diverge from it in different directions. The castle itself was built by the Lombards and modified by the Normans in 1139. It consists of a main building and four battlement towers. In the 19th century, the castle was abandoned for some time and lost some of its furnishings and decorations. And in the 20th century, restoration work was carried out here: today, film festivals, exhibitions and cultural events are held in the garden, the Butterfly Museum is located in the residential wing, and the outdoor terrace has been converted into a theater stage.
Other attractions in Guardia Sanframondi are the churches of San Sebastiano and San Rocco, the Basilica of Assunzione, a fountain with two masks and several aristocratic residences.
It is also worth mentioning that a religious festival is held in Guardia every seven years, dedicated to the discovery of a statue of the Madonna and Child hundreds of years ago. The festival consists of processions of believers going to the Basilica of Assunzione, the so-called "mysteries" with scenes from the Old and New Testaments, choral chants, the passage of "flagellanti" - scourging who lash themselves with whips, etc.
